Generic vs Branded Medicines: Are Generics Just as Good?

6 min read · Health guides · By the Asthra Health Care team

What 'generic' means

Every medicine has a chemical or generic name, such as paracetamol, metformin or amlodipine. This name describes the active ingredient, the part that does the work. When a company sells that ingredient under its own trade name, it becomes a branded medicine. In India, the same ingredient is often sold by many companies under many brand names, and also as unbranded generics that carry mainly the ingredient name on the pack.

Doctors may write either type of name on a prescription. Knowing the generic name of each medicine you take helps you compare products, avoid taking the same medicine twice under different names, and explain your treatment clearly to any new doctor or pharmacist you visit, including in an emergency.

Are generics as effective?

A properly approved generic must contain the same active ingredient, in the same strength and form, as the original medicine. It is expected to release the medicine into the body in a similar way, which is called bioequivalence. Regulators such as India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation set quality standards for manufacturers.

Generics may look different in colour, shape or packaging and may contain different inactive ingredients such as fillers, colours or coatings. These differences do not change how the active medicine works for most people, though rarely someone may react to an inactive ingredient.

Why generics cost less

The company that first develops a medicine spends heavily on research and trials and holds a patent for some years. Once the patent ends, other companies can make the same medicine without repeating all those costs. Unbranded generics also spend less on marketing. This is why the Government of India promotes generic medicines through schemes such as the Jan Aushadhi stores, and why medical guidelines encourage doctors to prescribe by generic name.

Quality still matters

Price alone does not tell you about quality, whether a medicine is branded or generic. Get medicines only from licensed pharmacies, check that the pack is sealed, and look at the batch number, manufacturing date, expiry date and manufacturer's name. Avoid loose tablets without a strip or label, and be careful about very cheap products from unknown online sellers.

If you notice a change in how you feel after switching products, such as new side effects or symptoms returning, tell your doctor or pharmacist rather than stopping the medicine. They can check whether the new product is the right match, and whether a return to the earlier product or a blood test is needed.

Medicines that need extra care when switching

For most medicines, switching between good-quality products is safe. However, for a few medicines where small changes in blood levels matter, doctors prefer patients to stay on the same product and to switch only under supervision, sometimes with a blood test afterwards.

• Thyroid hormone tablets
• Seizure medicines
• Blood thinners such as warfarin
• Medicines after organ transplant
• Some heart rhythm medicines

Avoiding duplicate doses

Because the same ingredient can have many names, people sometimes take two products with the same medicine without realising it. This is a common cause of accidental overdose, for example with paracetamol found in many cold and pain products. Always read the generic name on every strip and bottle, keep a written list of your medicines by their generic names, and show it to every doctor and pharmacist you visit.

How to talk to your doctor and pharmacist

You can ask your doctor to write the generic name on the prescription, and ask whether a lower-cost option suits you. Your pharmacist can explain which products contain the same ingredient and strength. Do not change medicines for long-term conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, epilepsy or heart disease without advice, and remember that antibiotics and other prescription medicines, branded or generic, are only to be taken on a doctor's prescription.

Elderly people, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those with kidney or liver disease should always check with a doctor or pharmacist before any change to their medicines. The same applies to anyone who has had an allergy to a colour, preservative or other inactive ingredient in the past, since generics may contain different ones.

This article is general health information, not medical advice. Do not start, stop or combine medicines on your own — always follow your doctor's prescription and ask your pharmacist if unsure.